Bush, Jackson Win Primary in Puerto Rico

Vice President George Bush won Puerto Rico’s Republican primary Sunday and added another 14 national convention delegates to his tally, while the Rev. Jesse Jackson won the Democrats’ non-binding “beauty contest” balloting.

With nearly a third of the precincts reporting, Bush was picking up 97% of the vote, and GOP rival Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas was receiving just 3%.

Counting was proceeding slowly, but Puerto Rico GOP Chairman Luis Ferre said: “Bush has the 14 delegates.”

Bush Holds Big Lead

With results from 28% of the precincts, Bush had 1,907 votes and Dole had 48.

Republican returns were sparse because the vast majority of voters turned out for the Democratic primary.

On the Democratic side, with 31% of the precincts reporting, Jackson led with 25,971 votes, or 35%, followed by Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis with 17,023 for 23%, Illinois Sen. Paul Simon with 14,870 votes for 20%, Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr. with 13,210 for 18% and Missouri Rep. Richard A. Gephardt with 2,707 for 4%.

The Democratic primary had no effect on who won delegates to the national convention. The 51 delegates at stake Sunday were expected to go uncommitted to the convention. In all, Puerto Rico will send 56 delegates, including the governor and four other party leaders who automatically receive seats as delegates.

One million Puerto Ricans were expected to vote Sunday in Democratic and Republican presidential primaries that also are a test of strength between the two main political parties on this U.S. commonwealth in the Caribbean.

Others to Be Chosen

The 33 delegates being elected Sunday will choose the leaders of the local Democratic Party, in addition to choosing the remaining 18 members of the delegation. The delegation is expected to vote as a bloc at the convention.

Both the Popular Democratic Party of Gov. Raphael Hernandez Colon and the out-of-power New Progressive Party of ex-Gov. Carlos Romero Barcelo want to control the local party so as to better influence federal legislation, patronage and the debate on Puerto Rico’s political status.

The NPP wants Puerto Rico to become the 51st U.S. state. The PDP wants things to remain as they are--with Puerto Ricans as U.S. citizens with almost every right and obligation except they cannot vote for President in the general election and do not pay federal taxes.

As the returns came in Sunday the PDP claimed that it would win at least 29 of the 33 delegates being elected directly in the primary, and launched a noisy celebration.

Romero Barcelo acknowledged defeat for his NPP.